...article is available from: http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2377/1/3 Received: 29 June 2001 Accepted: 30 July 2001 © 2001 Jellinger et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd. Verbatim copying and redistribution of this article are permitted in any medium for any non-commercial purpose, provided this notice is preserved along with the article's original URL. For commercial use, contact info@biomedcentral.com Abstract Background and Purpose: The impact of traumatic brain injury (TBI) on the pathogenesis of Alzheimer disease (AD) is still controversial. The aim of our retrospective autopsy study was to assess the impact of TBE and ApoE allele frequency on the development of AD. Material and Methods: We examined 1. the incidence of AD pathology (Braak stageing, CERAD, NIA-Reagan Institute criteria) in 58 consecutive patients (mean age ± SD 77.0 ± 6.8 years) with residual closed TBI lesions, and 2. the frequency of TBI residuals in 57 age-matched autopsy proven AD cases. In both...
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...Alzheimer's disease is the most common cause of dementia. Research advances have enabled detailed understanding of the molecular pathogenesis of the hallmarks of the disease-ie, plaques, composed of amyloid β (Aβ), and tangles, composed of hyperphosphorylated tau. However, as our knowledge increases so does our appreciation for the pathogenic complexity of the disorder. Familial Alzheimer's disease is a very rare autosomal dominant disease with early onset, caused by mutations in the amyloid precursor protein and presenilin genes, both linked to Aβ metabolism. By contrast with familial disease, sporadic Alzheimer's disease is very common with more than 15 million people affected worldwide. The cause of the sporadic form of the disease is unknown, probably because the disease is heterogeneous, caused by ageing in concert with a complex interaction of both genetic and environmental risk factors. This seminar reviews the key aspects of the disease, including epidemiology, genetics, pathogenesis, diagnosis, and treatment, as well as recent developments and controversies. 100 years ago, Alois Alzheimer gave a lecture at a congress in Tubingen, Germany, on the first case of the disease that Kraepelin some years later named Alzheimer's disease.1 In this single case. Alzheimer described typical clinical characteristics with memory disturbances and instrumental signs, and the neuropathological picture with miliary bodies (plaques) and dense bundles of fibrils (tangles), which we today...
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...Dementia are usually diagnosed clinically from the history of the patients, relatives and from the clinical observations, based on the presence of characteristics neurological and neuropsychological features and the absence of alternative conditions. computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, positron emission tomography and single emission computed tomography are the advanced medical imaging techniques, which could be used to help and exclude other cerebral pathology or subtypes of the dementia thus this may help to predict the type of dementia that can be converted from one type to another that means from one stage to the other stage of dementia. Thus, some of the assessment can be done to know the intellectual functioning, which may...
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...Alzheimer's disease Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive disease that is the most common form of dementia. Its onset affects 24.3 million people in the United States (Leifer, 2009, p. 588). The earlier symptoms of this disease are memory loss and decline of cognitive functions. These symptoms are often overlooked as the normal signs of aging. Alzheimer’s often is not diagnosed until it has progressed to the more debilitating stages. Fewer than 50% of people with the disease are currently diagnosed. Awareness of the pathology of the disease and understanding risk factors and early signs of Alzheimer’s is vital to prevention as well as providing a patient with an early successful treatment. There are multiple risk factors which contribute to Alzheimer’s disease, age being the greatest. Alzheimer’s disease is increasing in occurrence with 1 percent in adults’ age 60 years to nearly 45 percent in those age 85 years and older (Wierenga & Bondi, 2011, p. 37). There are genetic risk factors that also play a role with developing Alzheimer’s. Early-onset familial Alzheimer’s disease has been linked to the presence of genetic mutations on chromosomes 21, 14 and chromosomes 1. Mutations found on chromosome 19 are a well-known genetic risk factor for late onset Alzheimer’s disease and may be the cause for 50 percent of the risk for developing it. Additional risk factors include cerebrovascular disease such as stroke, atherosclerosis, cardiovascular disease, systolic hypertension...
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...DEMENTIA’S Dementia is a vague term used to describe a person that has loss of memory and change in behavior and activities. It goes beyond the forgetfulness and absent minded. It is commonly used In reference to the elderly, when cognitive abilities start to slip from one’s own control. Dementia cannot be diagnosed due to memory loss alone. It must be accompanied by two or more interruptions of brain function. Individuals who suffer from a disease that causes dementia undergo a number of changes. Simple daily tasks such as dressing or bathing may also become a problem. Anything can be a cause for dementia, a stroke, a car accident or even another disease. Here, I will compare four most frequent causes of dementia with four least frequent causes. Dementia is not a specific disease. It's an overall term that describes a wide range of symptoms associated with a decline in memory or other thinking skills severe enough to reduce a person's ability to perform everyday activities. Alzheimer's disease accounts for 60 to 80 percent of cases. Vascular dementia, which occurs after a stroke, is the second most common dementia type. But there are many other conditions that can cause symptoms of dementia, including some that are reversible, such as thyroid problems and vitamin deficiencies. Dementia is often incorrectly referred to as "senility" or "senile dementia," which reflects the formerly widespread but incorrect belief that serious mental decline is a normal part of aging. Dementia is...
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...Lansberry Ashford University PSY 304 Lifespan Development Prof. Pamela Vincent May 18, 2015 How do our bodies and minds change from early to late adulthood? As we age does our mind simply begin to deteriorate in the same fashion as our body does in regards to it physical capabilities? Have you wondered what affect does peri and post-menopause have in relation to memory decline in women? Is dementia directly related to cognitive aging? All of these conditions have one thing in common, they all occur as the human body starts to age into late adulthood. Aging from early to late adulthood has an interconnected negative impact both mentally and physically on the human body but physical activity can help protect against cognitive decline. First we need to understand physical and cognitive development and the stages associated with early and late adulthood. Then we will examine the age related decline in mentalizing skills; how cognitive aging is related to dementia; and how aging is related to peri and post-menopause and it effects has on the body. Physical changes as the body ages from early to late adulthood are predictable and undeniable. Physical Development depends on maturation, or the biological unfolding of growth. Every individual has a schedule built into his or her genes that controls both the timing and degree of physical growth and decline. Bone growth and deterioration, the strengthening...
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...medical field as well as how it effects our lives today. Dr. Omalu was born in September 1968 Idemili, South Nigeria and went to the University of Nigeria graduating with his Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery. Dr.Omalu holds eight advanced degrees and Board Certifications, later he received fellowships in Pathology and Neuropathology through the University of Pittsburgh .Today Dr. Omalu is the chief medical examiner of San Joaquin County, California followed by being the president and medical director of Bennet Omalu Pathology....
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...Disorders namely Vascular Dementia and Alzheimer’s Dementia, the various domains that can be affected as well as the cross- cultural factors to take into consideration 1 2 Contents Introduction: Neurocognitive Disorders (NCD)/ Dementia 4-5 Mild and Major NCD criteria 5-6 Diagnosing a patient with Vascular Dementia 7-8 Diagnostic criteria for Alzheimer’s Dementia 8-9 Delirium (acute confusional state/ acute brain syndrome) Cross- cultural and contextual perspectives of health 9-11 11-14 - India - Egypt - Islam References 15-16 3 Introduction: Neurocognitive Disorders/ Dementia Neurocognitive disorders (NCD) are a group of disorders in the DSM-5 classification system. These disorders involve the impairment of an individual’s cognitive abilities that involve tasks such as, memory, judgement, problem solving and perception (Burke. A, 2014). Only disorders that show evidence of cognitive deficiencies are classified as NCDs. To name a few, these cognitive deficiencies can be a result of; Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), HIV/AIDS or substance abuse (Burke. A, 2014). The DSM-5 classifies Neurocognitive disorders into three categories, namely, Delirium and Major or Mild NCD. “Within each group, there are further subgroups which are organised according to their aetiology” (Burke. A, 2014: 244) and pathology. As the DSM-5 refer to such disorders as NCD, the ICD-10, still uses the term, Dementia to refer to disorders...
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...“The Wisdom Paradox” (Goldberg, 2005) is a fascinating book about the biology of cognitive wisdom, including its unique costs and benefits. This book provides a thorough explanation of how people in later stages of life successfully undertake major cognitive tasks, as well as how this aptitude can be maximized. With vigorous and life-long mental activity in novel tasks learning new information, an aging person can gain wisdom and minimize clinical brain injury. Wisdom has intellectual, practical, moral, and spiritual facets. It can be defined as extensive pattern recognition of new information or situations as accurately being in some way similar to familiar information or situations, thus leading to successful problem-solving and reasoning abilities. There are many types of wisdom, including genetic, phylum wisdom, species or cultural wisdom, group wisdom, and individual wisdom. The wisdom of the phylum, which is contained in the amygdala, includes genetically-programmed, innate fears and survival mechanisms that have existed in all species for millions of years through evolution. This type of wisdom uses sensory and motor regions of the cortex, as well as subcortical regions of the brain. Cultural wisdom is expressed as language and other symbolic systems passed down through the generations for thousands of years. Language is made up of a self-organizing, complex neural network widely spread throughout various regions of the cortex that are not pre-wired. Group wisdom includes...
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...to suggest that older individuals perceive pain to a lesser degree or that sensitivity is diminished. Although pain is a common experience among individuals 65 years of age and older, it is not a normal process of aging. Pain indicates pathology or injury. Pain should never be considered something to tolerate or accept in one's later years. Unfortunately, many clinicians and older adults wrongfully assume that pain should be expected in aging, which leads to less aggressive treatment. Older adults have additional fears about becoming dependent, undergoing invasive procedures, taking pain medications, and having a financial burden. The most common pain-producing conditions for aging adults include pathologies such as arthritis, osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, peripheral vascular disease, cancer, peripheral neuropathies, angina, and chronic constipation. People with dementia do feel pain. The somatosensory cortex is generally unaffected by dementia of the Alzheimer type. Sensory discrimination is preserved in cognitively intact and impaired adults.1 Because the limbic system is affected by Alzheimer disease, current research focuses on how the person interprets and reports these pain messages.24 See further discussion on pain assessment with dementia on p. 170. Gender Differences Gender differences are influenced by societal expectations, hormones, and genetic makeup. Traditionally, men have been raised to be more stoic about pain and more affective or emotional displays of pain...
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...eventually leads to death. While there is no cure, it can be treated. Alzheimer’s is not a classic part of aging (What is Alzheimers, 2015). It can earnestly affect a person’s ability to carry out daily activities. Those affected by Alzheimer’s live an average of eight years after the symptoms are evident. One can survive from four to twenty years, dependent on the age of the person and their health situations (What is Alzheimers, 2015). “In 2013, as many as 5 million Americans were living with Alzheimer’s disease”(Center for Disease Control, 2015 ). There are quite a few risk factors that can increase one’s risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease (Cummings,2008). “Aging is the most powerful risk”(Cummings, 2008). Having a family history of dementia can also be a risk factor, even though it is uncommon the inherited changes have an influence on the amyloid in the brain. Elevated cholesterol, severe head injury, psychological stress, hypertension, and smoking can increase the probability of developing Alzheimer’s. The symptoms of the illness first appear after age 60 and the possibility rises with age. The number of people with the disease multiplies every five years beyond age 65....
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...Director of Dementia Education Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center (MIRECC) VA Palo Alto Health Care System Clinical Associate Professor (Affiliated) Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences Stanford University School of Medicine Speakers • • • • • Allyson Rosen Ruth O’Hara Maya Yutsis Brian Yochim Geoff Kerchner Neurocognitive Disorders • Delirium • Major and Mild Neurocognitive Disorder (NCD) Neurocognitive Disorders (NCD) • Primarily COGNITIVE disorders • Acquired and represent decline (i.e. not developmental) Neurocognitive Disorders • Primarily COGNITIVE disorders • Acquired and represent decline (i.e. not developmental) • Underlying brain pathology • For degenerative disorders monitor consensus guidelines in addition to DSM 5 Updates on Neurocognitive Disorders???? Updates on Neurocognitive Disorders???? NO We can still be Updates on Dementia Neurocognitive Disorders (NCD) vs. Dementia • Dementia typically refers to degenerative d/o in elderly Neurocognitive Disorders (NCD) vs. Dementia • Dementia typically refers to degenerative d/o in elderly • DSM expands category to d/o of younger – E.g. HIV, traumatic brain injury Major and Mild Neurocognitive Disorders (NCD) Major NCD • • • • Significant Cognitive Decline Interfere with independence Not due to delirium Not due to other mental disorder Major NCD vs. Dementia • Can be...
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...Blank Pages of Life… Dementia is a persistent neurological disorder that can be described in terms of a cluster of symptoms such as loss of memory, difficulty with thinking, impairment in language and problem solving. Dementia could become extremely severe which would diminish an individual’s ability to complete daily activities; it can cause mood swing as well as changes in behavior (Canadian Alzheimer’s Society). Dementia is a progressive disease, which means that the symptoms would slowly become worse resulting in increased damage to the brain cells, which can ultimately result in death. (Alzheimer Society Canada) Dementia is not a particular disease rather many diseases can cause dementia and the most common types are as follow: Alzheimer's disease and vascular dementia, head trauma, fronto-temporal dementia, Parkinson’s disease, and Huntington’s disease. The symptoms of the above mentioned conditions are similar and they overlap. (Alzheimer...
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...Dementia is a syndrome characterized by disturbance of multiple brain functions, including memory, thinking, orientation, comprehension, calculation, learning capacity, language, and judgment. Consciousness is not clouded. The impairments of cognitive function are commonly accompanied, and occasionally preceded, by deterioration in emotional control, social behavior, or motivation. Alzheimer disease is the most common form of dementia and possibly contributes to 60%-70% of cases. Alzheimer disease (AD) is characterized by a progressive decline in cognitive function. AD is substantially increased among people aged 65 years or more, with a progressive decline in memory, thinking, language and learning capacity. AD should be differentiated from normal age-related decline in cognitive function, which is more gradual and associated with less disability. Disease often starts with mild symptoms and ends with severe brain damage. People with dementia lose their abilities at different rates. Whether these changes may be a cause or consequence of AD remains to be fully understood, but inflammation within the brain, including increased reactivity of the resident microglia towards amyloid deposits, has been implicated in the pathogenesis and progression of AD. The more individuals advance in age the higher is the risk they will develop Alzheimer disease. Most patients develop AD after the age of 65 years old. The risk of developing AD reaches 50% for individuals beyond age 85. Because...
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...of where or who you are, what time it is or who is talking to you. This exact scenario is a daily way of life for those suffering from cognitive impairments. According to the Centers for Disease Control, cognitive impairment is when a person has trouble remembering, learning new things, concentrating, or making decisions that affect their everyday life (Centers for Disease Control [CDC], 2011). Non-white Hispanics suffer from cognitive impairment at an alarming rate. The rise in cognitive impairments is the result of several factors including the prevalence of certain medical conditions and socioeconomic status. The term cognitive impairment is classified under several axis I mental alterations. These alterations include delirium, dementia and amnestic disorders (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders [DSM-IV-TR], 2000). Many internal and external factors can lead to the development or exacerbation of these mental alterations. Internal factors, such as hypertension, diabetes, neurodegenerative disorders, nutritional, metabolic and endocrine disorders and infectious disorders are all examples of medical conditions that can contribute to cognitive impairment (Round, 2010). External factors include educational background and socioeconomic factors. Already the largest minority, Hispanics are also the fastest growing ethnic population in the United States (The Americano, 2011). The rise in the population of Hispanics also makes the prevalence of certain conditions...
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